Qatar Charity (QC) has launched its campaign for this year’s Ramadan season entitled “Ramadan Al Basma”. The estimated total cost for projects to be implemented inside and outside Qatar is QR58.2mn compared to QR14.6mn last year.
The number of people expected to benefit from the projects is more than 2,043,000. The funds dedicated for within Qatar have reached QR20mn, as against last year’s QR16mn.
Costs of Ramadan projects outside of Qatar have increased by QR11mn to reach QR38mn compared to last year’s QR27mn. The expected number of beneficiaries of these projects is 1,448,426, which is 100,000 persons more than last year.
This year’s Ramadan campaign is characterised by its focus on the Syrian people. There are special projects for the Syrian refugees and displaced. A number of Iftar projects are designated for other countries suffering from exceptional circumstances during Ramadan.
QC CEO Yousef bin Ahmed al-Kuwari urged the philanthropists among Qataris and residents to donate for the developmental and aid projects.
“Qatar Charity aims to collect QR300mn during this season to support poor communities and marginalised groups. This is an increase of QR22mn compared to last year’s donation sum of QR278mn,” he explained.
Many new cultural, educational and entertainment programmes, such as “Salloom”, “Ramadan Village” and “Katara” will be introduced.
The Iftar banquets project targets 156,000 individuals, which is 6,000 more than last year. This will be implemented through preparing 20 mass Iftar banquets to be distributed to different areas within the country. It will target single workers, wayfarers, and low-income individuals. The total cost of this project is about QR6,000,00.
The targeted areas of iftar include Al Khor, Al Thakheira, Smeisma, Khareteyat, Gharafa, Rayan, Shahaneya, Wakrah, Bin Mahmoud, Freij Abdul Azeez, Najma, Mansoura, Bit Omran, Matar, Seleya, Jmeileya, and Um Salal Muhammed.
The Iftar project comprises a number of other projects: “From Home to Home,” for distributing Iftar meals on low-income families; the “Industrial Zone Workers’ Iftar”, for distributing Iftar meals for workers; “Quenching the Thirst of Prayers”, for distributing fresh drinking water to people praying Al Taraweeh and optional night prayers; and “Ramadan Ration” for distribution of food coupons, in addition to “Travelling Iftar” and “Community Iftar Banquets” projects.
Al Baraha Activity is a public programme for fostering values and concepts needed by families during Ramadan. It aims at investing the holy month in performing useful activities. The target is 6,000 visitors from different ages and nationalities. The estimated cost of the project is QR5,055,000. It will be executed in Loloa, Al Khor, Shahaneya, and Doha.
Salloom, is a heritage programme to be organised for the first time. It consists of a group of tents featuring a number of traditional crafts from the old times.
Ramadan Village, to be held in the exhibition hall in Dafna, from the third to the 19th of the holy month is a cultural programme which introduces a rich cultural environment and activities. It will provide a social environment in which children will enjoy their cultural and recreational space. Many games and shopping places are built inside village. Families will be given a change to do shopping in various stores and walk through the centre of the market.
The programmes in association with Katara, the Cultural Village, comprise a reciting programme for children entitled “Irtaqi” (rise) and a number of lectures to be held after performing “Al Taraweeh” prayer. “Optimism” exhibition will be another programme for productive families participating in Qatar Charity’s project “Ademha”.
The ‘Nasser bin Khaled al-Thani Qur’an Memorisation Competition’, will benefit 900 students with a total estimated cost of QR320,000.
A Women Da’wah Programme will be carried out at all Qatar charity centres for community development.
The costs of Ramadan campaign’s projects outside Qatar amounts to QR38,200,000, while the number of people benefiting from these projects is around 1.45mn individuals.
Anyone can donate to QC’s Ramadan campaign by sending an SMS to the following numbers: Ooredoo and Vodafone: 92133 to donate QR25, 92632to donate QR50, 92642 to donate QR100, 92428 to donate QR500, and 92429 to donate QR1,000.
Donations can also be made through all Ooredoo self-service machines, and QC’s interactive kiosks at shopping malls (Villaggio, The Gate, Immigration building, Traffic building, and The Pearl-Qatar)
QC has also allocated a hot line for donors: the landline number is 44667711 and mobile number: 33793929. This is in addition to its collecting agents located in markets and malls, and its donation department at the headquarters, its subsidiary offices in Doha and at the in-kind donations’ collection outlets ‘Taif’.
QC’s account in the Islamic Bank is: 200000126 and IBAN number is: IBAN/QA17QISB002071600150.
Iftar tents
Preparations are under way across the country to set up Iftar tents for Ramadan.
Tents of different sizes are being set up at various locations, equipped with air-conditioners and proper furnishing to host people as they break their fast every evening during the holy month.
The tents are sponsored by local charities, private companies or individuals.
Some organisers of Iftar tents are planning to provide visitors with food packets in order to prevent waste but many others would prefer to serve hot meals on a daily basis, it is learnt.
Qatar Charity officials announcing the Ramadan campaign yesterday.
